


Bloom in the Desert

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AFAB langauage, Birthing, Childbirth, Galra Shiro (Voltron), M/M, Milking, Mpreg, Pregnancy, Pregnant Keith (Voltron), Trans Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Character, Trans Male Keith (Voltron), contractions, so if there are more tags I need to add please let me know, this is my first time writing a fic like this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:01:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26271532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Shiro and Keith have mated, expecting a child together after peace has been brought to the universe. The delivery comes with unexpected surprises, but Keith has Shiro by his side every step of the way.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 117





	Bloom in the Desert

Keith laid his head back against the couch, his hands caressing his swollen stomach as he breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. Sweat trickled down his neck, his dark hair sticking to his shoulders. He lifted his shirt up to the curve of his stomach, hoping if his pup could feel his hand directly on the skin that they would be calm. He didn’t anticipate himself getting this big, but Shiro was huge in comparison. He cursed himself for not being prepared to birth such a huge child who would surely have dominant Galra genes than human.

Shiro swung the front door open, panting as he caught his breath and not carrying the tools he had before to tend to the yard work. He had to crouch his head under the doorway to step foot inside (they had yet to renovate Keith’s cottage doors to accommodate Shiro’s height), but he wasted no time in kneeling before his mate, holding his hand tenderly between both of his.

“Keith, you’re hurting,” Shiro said in a way that was confirming what drove him to rush inside in the first place.

“I’m fine, Shiro,” Keith tried to assure. “I think it’s another false contraction.”

But Shiro wouldn’t have it, kissing Keith’s hand.

“I’ll prepare the nest; stay put.”

Before Keith could give a sarcastic retort, Shiro was opening up the hallway closet and taking out blankets, towels, and buckets. It had been fifteen weeks when the subject of where Keith would give birth had taken place. Pidge had offered to give Keith a private room in the Garrison hospital when he stopped by for a visit and Allura made a similar offer when he and Shiro were visiting New Altea, but while he appreciated his friends’ kindness, he didn’t feel right leaving home when the time came for his pup’s birth. 

As Keith’s belly grew over the weeks, he insisted upon the doctor to do at-home visits, though he wasn’t sure why. Logically he knew he could still handle walking. Despite his belly being enlarged, it didn’t hold him back from simple tasks that required him to leave his abode. But Keith felt safer in the only place he had called home before he went on that journey that sent him into outer space. It was where his father raised him and, now that Keith thought about it, it was where his mother had given birth to him too. 

The table that was at the center of the living room had been pushed aside to make room for the nest. Shiro finished laying down the cushions and surrounding it with the fluffed pillows that were Keith’s favorites. Comforters covered the cushions as a pad laid above the comforter. Blankets were readily available to cozy Keith up as a cooler containing ice and water bottles was placed next to the table. He lifted Keith off the couch and laid him down gently in this makeshift nest, kissing the side of his head before nuzzling it. 

“Shiro,” Keith winced in pain from the contractions, “you didn’t-this might be a false alarm.”

“Unimportant. You’re in pain and what’s important is that you’re as comfortable as possible.”

Despite his intimidating size, Shiro was a gentle mate, never using his full strength unless absolutely necessary (or if Keith asks nicely). His purple fur felt comforting to caress and Shiro would use his tail to tickle Keith to get him to laugh. Krolia told Keith about how Shiro was one of the most empathetic recruits she ever trained, noting how serious he was in his trials but when he wasn’t on a mission, he would take the time to listen and aid his comrades in their personal woes. It nearly cost a mission or two when Shiro would want to stay behind to save someone, one of their own or a bystander caught in the fire, but he knew how to use his emotions to drive him to becoming an excellent blade.

Once Keith was settled down on the nest, Shiro moved over to carefully remove his pants and underwear. 

“Keith, my love, this isn’t a false alarm.” Shiro’s eyes stared in awe at Keith’s vulnerable area.

“Is it instinct talking?” Keith asked.

“Your water broke.”

The words shook Keith up, goosebumps forming along his alarm and his arms and legs feeling more wobbly. He didn’t know how he couldn’t have noticed something as obvious as his water breaking. Was he in denial? But why would he be in denial? This was supposed to be the day he looked forward to. The day he birthed Shiro’s pup. But all he could think about was if he wasn’t strong enough to be a father, strong enough to have been Shiro’s mate after all. 

Keith didn’t even notice when Shiro cradled him in his arms, holding his head close to his chest and the tears that were streaming down his face.

“Shh, Keith, breathe for me,” Shiro instructed. “It’s going to be okay.”

Keith blinked, putting his hand over Shiro’s, which was big enough to encompass his whole head. 

“Shiro...I need to feel you,” he whimpered. “I need-”

Without saying anything more, Shiro let go of Keith’s head, removing the white tank top he had been wearing and then removing Keith’s own shirt. With Shiro shirtless and Keith undressed, Shiro sat behind Keith, enveloping him in his arms. Keith couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You always know what I’m gonna say before I say it,” Keith remarked.

“You’ve always been easy to read,” Shiro kissed the side of Keith’s head. “Now relax. I’m here. You’re safe. Our pup will be safe.”

Keith could do nothing now but place his hands over his belly, dropping his head back against the warmth of Shiro’s fuzzy chest. He closed his eyes, trying to be patient for his pup, but wanting them to come out already. 

They were so heavy for him to carry around. It had only been a little over a month when he started having a noticeable baby bump. It was unusual for humans to show that much in a short amount of time, but Krolia noted that she wasn’t as big when carrying Keith. Keith wondered if it really was the Galra genetics or if there was something wrong with his body. 

“Keith.” 

Keith opened his eyes. 

“Yes?”

“I was worried you were losing consciousness.”

Keith smiled, turning his head to nuzzle Shiro’s fur.

“I don’t think I could if I wanted to.” He tried to give a chuckle, but it came out more as a sob. “It hurts too much.”

Shiro hugged him tighter, giving off a low rumble. It sounded akin to a protective growl, but as the cause of Keith’s pain was Keith’s body itself, it was as if Shiro had to hold back on that force that drove him to keep Keith safe.

“I’m not even sure how you were able to lift me so easily from the couch,” Keith commented, trying to talk as a way to distract himself from the pain coursing through his abdomen. “I’m so big, I could barely even walk some days.”

“No matter how big you think you are, you’ll always be tiny to me,” Shiro brushed Keith’s hair, his long claws scratching the scalp. 

Keith rolled his eyes, rolling Shiro’s pants up and touching his fur.

“You might be strong, but you can’t always be Hercules.”

“Hercules?” Shiro asked in confusion, looking down to Keith for an answer.

“A mythological demigod who was known for having superhuman strength,” Keith answered. “Though you aren’t human, so I suppose that wouldn’t apply to you.”

Shiro chuckled. 

“I’m sure I could take on this Hercules with one arm,” Shiro moved his hand from Keith’s head and placed both hands on his shoulders, rubbing them. “Demigod or not, if I fight for you, I shall always be the victor.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to fight you so that people don’t start thinking you’re invincible.”

“Exploiting my weakness, Keith? That doesn’t seem very fair.”

The two shared a laugh, Keith being interrupted when another surge of pain pierced him. The baby was starting to get eager, almost as if they heard the merriment of their parents and wanted to join in. 

Keith shut his eyes again, biting his lip and pushed as hard as he could. After a set of pushes, he broke down crying. 

“Does it take this long for Galra babies to be born?” Keith covered his eyes with his hands. 

“Don’t worry about time,” Shiro said in an attempt to comfort his beloved.

Keith shook his head.

“I have to! The sooner they’re here, the sooner I can see if they’re alright! Sitting around like this isn’t good for us! I need to know that I did this pregnancy right…”

Shiro gently got up so he could lie beside Keith. The nest was made big enough to accommodate the three of them (or soon to be three of them), so Shiro was able to easily slip his arms around Keith and let his hand explore all of Keith’s skin. 

“Patience, my love,” Shiro whispered. “Patience. Our pup will be here soon and you’ll see that you did a wonderful job carrying them.”

Shiro removed Keith’s hands from his face, wiping away his tears.

“You’re so strong, Keith. Stronger than anyone I know.”

Keith let out a small hiccup, kissing Shiro’s palm before guiding his hand down to his stomach.

“It’s why our pup is so strong,” Shiro continued.

Keith gave a perplexed expression to Shiro.

“I don’t think a baby’s strength is determined by how strong their parents are.”

“Is that so?” Shiro rubbed Keith’s stomach. “Because judging by the baby’s kick, I could have sworn that they inherited such a strong move from you.”

Keith snorted, his hand slapping Shiro’s chest. “Now you’re just being silly.”

“I certainly don’t kick like that.”

“Maybe because you’re not the one stuck in a womb.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to find out for sure when the baby gets here. I still stand by that they have your kick.”

Keith let out an exhausted sigh, feeling grateful that Shiro was his mate. He recalled the first time they met, how Shiro recognized Keith’s knife as being Krolia’s. How at first he thought the only reason Shiro hung around him so much was because of that knife, because of Keith being Krolia’s one and only child. But whenever the two were around each other, they had this way of working off one another. Shiro being impressed by how studious Keith could be and Keith admiring how calm and collected Shiro was in missions, no matter how stressful or dire the circumstances were.

Shiro had been Keith’s go to for learning more about his Galra heritage before he met his mother. Shiro was patient and never made Keith feel like an outsider in the Blade of Marmora. The first time Shiro arrived on Earth, Keith had returned that kindness and showed the larger Galra the beauty of Earth’s nature. 

When they were mated, they fixed up Keith’s old home together. They occasionally had a helping hand from their friends (to which Keith learned that Lance could do manual labor without complaint), but they did most of the work in making this place theirs. They added a garage area to house their hover bikes and tools that Hunk gifted them to help with appliance work, rearranged the master bedroom so that there was enough space to accommodate a pair with a significant height and size difference, and made the back porch more cozy for the two of them so that they could watch the calm desert and its sporadic plant life together in peace. 

They had to make more renovations when they found out about Keith’s pregnancy, expanding the house so they could have a nursery for the little (big) one that would make their family feel complete. They painted the room dark blue colors with white and silver stars adorned on the walls and ceiling, filling the shelves with toys targeted to both humans and Galra. Keith found an old stuffed hippo he had when he was a child that was passed onto him by his father and wanted to give that same toy to his own (though when the child was grown, he would pass on the family blade to them as well). 

Keith resumed his pushing, the throbbing of his crotch area beating violently. Shiro would wash away Keith’s sweat with a wet cloth, whispering praises to him and encouraging him to keep going. Shiro used his tail to open the cooler, pulling out a water bottle and opening it.

“Nice, easy sips, okay?” Shiro adjusted Keith’s position in the nest so that Keith could drink without choking.

Keith opened his mouth, letting the open bottle touch his lips and made small gulps as he consumed the water. Shiro closed the water bottle and placed it within (Keith’s) arm’s reach outside of the nest.

“Thank you,” Keith said softly while squeezing Shiro’s hand.

His gaze shifted over to his stomach, which was as oversized and huge as it had been the past couple of months. A part of him wondered if all the weight really came from the baby or if he had put on some pounds. Whenever his cravings kicked in, he never paid attention to the amount of plates and bowls he used to eat until it was time to wash the dishes. It wasn’t uncommon for him to start wearing Shiro’s shirts as he’d outgrow his clothes quickly. 

Shiro never minded, of course, and would even lay out shirts he’d like to see Keith in every morning. This morning was an exception as Shiro woke up earlier than Keith and Keith felt like putting on one of the few shirts of his that didn’t put a strain on his belly. It was a button-up red flannel shirt that was meant for outdoor activities, but it had been a while since he last wore it. Not that it mattered in the end as Keith felt restricted with his clothing when the contractions wore him down.

Keith’s break had to come to an end. Shiro would get up from their nest to fill the bucket with water for when their child came out. After it was filled, he set the bucket down next to the towels and lifted Keith’s legs up. Keith’s private area was stretching and Shiro could sense that the pup was close to coming out.

“Breathe in nice before you push,” Shiro instructed. “It’ll hurt, but I’ll be here every step of the way.”

Keith could only nod, looking up at the ceiling and breathing in. He groaned as he pushed for the baby to come out, letting out exhausted moans after Shiro counted to ten aloud. They repeated the process for a while, Shiro giving Keith comments of encouragement. Whenever Keith started to sob, Shiro would set Keith’s legs down and kiss his knees, telling him how much of a good job he was doing. 

The contractions were becoming more painful by the minute. Despite how comfortable the nest was, Keith’s back was sore as were his legs. It felt torturous for him to do these sets, feeling helpless the longer the baby wasn’t out yet. He turned his head to see the crib that was out for the baby. It was originally in his and Shiro’s room as they had planned for their little one to sleep in their room for at least a week before moving the baby into the nursery, but Shiro must have pushed it out in the living room when he got the nest set up. 

He was almost having regrets not going to a hospital or calling anyone to help with the birthing process. The only reason his mother couldn’t have gone anywhere else was because she landed on Earth before most humans knew aliens were even real. And yet, whenever she recounted the story of Keith’s birth, she never once hinted that she would have preferred birthing him anywhere else. She had been with her own mate, Keith’s father, and found this small house in the middle of the dessert to be where she belonged. 

Keith felt the same way. This was an intimate moment for him and Shiro. Of course they’d have the baby checked out by a doctor once they were born, but right here and now was when Keith was at his most vulnerable and he could only let his mate see him in such a state. 

Outside of their home, Keith was known as the leader of the Voltron, one of the many saviors of the universe who shouldered the responsibility of reforming the Blade of Marmora into a humanitarian group that helped those less fortunate. Inside of this old, cozy house though, Keith was Shiro’s mate, the carrier of their young who cried out with every contraction. 

An idea came to them that could possibly help speed up the labor process without harm coming to their pup. Shiro told Keith that he had heard it wasn’t uncommon for pregnant beings in most planets to change the position they were in during the birthing process. Keith pondered on the thought before giving his consent to test it out. 

Shiro helped Keith switch positions every so often. As they switched positions, Shiro would take a few minutes to snuggle up to Keith, giving him gentle touches and allowing Keith to explore every exposed part of Shiro. Keith would pull Shiro’s face close to his, giving him slow kisses and then sniffing in his mate’s scent. 

Keith was kept hydrated, drinking from his water bottle when the throbbing became unbearable and his voice became hoarse from crying. Shiro would clean up Keith’s face, humming to him whenever he would place Keith’s head on his chest.

One of the positions Keith found himself in was on his knees. It gave his back a break and he liked having his arms over Shiro’s shoulders as Shiro kept Keith balanced. When Keith was like this, he didn’t need Shiro’s instruction to push. He did so on his own accord, remembering his breathing techniques and being comforted by the sensation of how close his mate was.

Keith lost track of time at that point. When he looked at the cloth covered windows, he didn’t care enough to discern what position the sun was in. He was certain it had to have at least been a few hours already since his water broke, no later than midday from when Shiro rushed inside. His eyes moved to the ground, staring at the fresh pads Shiro laid out and then to the trash can that held the stained pads full of his liquids and blood. 

After kneeling, Keith got up to do a short walk around the living room, Shiro holding his hand throughout the small exercise. The next position he moved on to was squatting in the middle of the nest, though that didn’t last as long as the kneeling. Shiro had stood behind Keith, holding his belly up as the baby inched closer away from the womb. Keith would throw his head back, biting his lip as he held back his screams. 

“Be loud, Keith,” Shiro said. “There’s no danger to us here. It’s just us.”

Keith’s lip quivered before he let out a shout and stood up on his feet, turning around to clutch to Shiro. Shiro patted Keith’s back, giving him soft hushes. Keith’s body was hurting, but he felt better being against his mate, the touch of their skins easing his anxieties. Shiro gave Keith more water before setting him back down in the nest, massaging his feet as Keith drank. 

Shiro was about to bend Keith’s legs again when Keith moved his feet away from Shiro.

“Wait,” Keith said. He patted the empty space beside him.“Five minutes. Please.”

Shiro smiled softly, stepping into the nest and kissing the back of Keith’s hand. Shiro slipped his hand on Keith’s cheek, giving a soft rub under Keith’s eye. Keith closed his eyes, rubbing his stomach in an effort to tell his pup that their parents were waiting for them. Shiro followed Keith’s lead, a long nail lingering over Keith’s belly button before finding its way to Keith’s hand and lacing their fingers together.

They lingered for more than ten minutes, Keith silently shifting himself and Shiro moving over to be ready to take their young one out when they emerged from his mate.

After a few more contractions, Shiro looked to Keith excitedly. 

“Keith, you’re doing wonderful! I can see our pup’s head.”

“Does that mean we’re close?” Keith lifted his head slightly to look at Shiro.

“Very close. Just a few more pushes and they’ll be crying for joy.”

Keith tried to smile as he rested his head back, telling himself he could do this.

Sucking in a breath, he used all his strength to push. His abdomen felt like it was on the verge of exploding, but he cried the pain out, not letting him stop when he had come this far. Shiro put his hands together, ready to cup the baby when they were out of Keith. 

The world stood still with every push. Keith dug his fingers into the comforter underneath him, his legs shaking and screamed from the top of his lungs. He gritted his teeth, almost biting his tongue more than once, and gave another push.

He felt as if he were on literal fire. He was burning as the pup’s head was coming out. And after that last push, he could hear the happy gasps from Shiro’s mouth.

“I’ve got you, little one,” Shiro said.

It didn’t take long for Shiro to hold up the bloody, pale pup who began whimpering in Shiro’s hands. Keith’s face beamed as he laid his eyes on the baby, who had the same fluffy ears as their father. 

“It’s a girl,” Shiro announced before cutting off the umbilical cord. He placed their daughter in the bucket, keeping her head and torso above the water and used a towel wipe off the gunk she was covered in. 

After she was cleaned and dried up, Keith reached his arms out, unable to contain his desire to hold his pup. Keith cradled her in his arms, the baby crying as she was set against his chest.

“Welcome home, baby,” Keith brushed the tiny dark hair across her forehead. He couldn’t yet discern if her skin color would be more human or Galra. It didn’t really matter to him because he was holding her now after carrying her in his womb for nine months. 

“I think I just need to get rid of the placenta and we’ll be done,” Keith said as he looked over to Shiro.

Shiro nodded, but as he looked down at Keith’s area, shock filled his face as he covered his open mouth.

“Keith…”

“What? Is something wrong?” Keith held his daughter close, worried if the birth didn’t go the way they thought it did.

“No, nothing’s wrong. But you’re not done.”

Keith raised an eyebrow, putting his daughter’s hand in his own. “Not done with what…?”

Shiro moved his hand away from his face. “You have another pup inside.”

“I what?!” Keith sat up, almost as if he were trying to look down to see for himself and let go of his daughter’s hand.

“Keith, I know it’s surprising, but be mindful of our daughter,” Shiro said, putting Keith back down. 

Keith let out a sigh, looking down at the pup in his arms.

“That should have been obvious. No wonder I was so big…”

Shiro knelt down beside Keith.

“My love, I’m sorry, but we need to put this pup aside until her sibling comes out.”

Their daughter’s whimpers were dying off as she let out hiccups. Keith kissed her forehead before handing her over to Shiro, who put a diaper on her, wrapped her up, and placed her in the crib for the time being. Keith couldn’t make out the words Shiro seemed to whisper to her, but he saw the longing in his eyes and the curve of his frown that gave Keith the impression that Shiro didn’t want to stray away from her either. 

Shiro carried the bucket away, disposing of the water inside, washing it before replacing it with fresh clean water. He set the bucket down again, had a new towel ready, and patted Keith’s hand to assure him that the next delivery won’t be long.

“Just gotta push out another baby,” Keith patted his still swollen stomach. “Should be easier the second time.”

Keith shut his eyes, taking easy breaths. Shiro threw away the pad that was used for their daughter, replacing it with a new one. He kissed Keith’s thighs for extra reassurance before asking if Keith was ready.

Keith opened his eyes, giving his mate a nod and took a deep breath before he pushed. The pain was just as excruciating as before, but Keith managed to hold in his screams for the first set of “new” contractions. He pursed his lips in, nearly on the verge of tears as he pushed this second pup out. 

The burning felt worse this time. He curled his hands into fists, letting out a yell the closer the second baby was coming out. He gasped for breath, his chest heaving. 

“Keith!” Shiro crawled up to Keith, holding his face. “Keith, stay with me.”

“I’m fine, Shiro,” Keith whined. “Just tired…”

“Are you sure? Do you need to change positions? It’s not too late-”

Keith put his hand on Shiro’s cheek.

“Shiro. I’m safe. You’re here. And our daughter is waiting for her sibling. I want to hold them both.”

Shiro put his hand over Keith’s, giving a nod and kissing Keith’s cheek. 

“I love you,” Shiro whispered, letting a tear escape his eye. He went back to where he was, easing Keith to catch his breath before he continued.

Keith picked up the water bottle and took a few sips, wiping his mouth as he set the bottle down. He breathed through his mouth and then proceeded to push.

He felt as if his whole body was vibrating. He had to remind himself that he had been in countless life threatening situations and survived all of them. He concentrated his efforts into the pup that was he was too oblivious to notice. He needed to make it up to them for ignoring them so carelessly. He wanted to show his love and affection to these twins. To Shiro who had been with him through thick and thin.

Keith let out his own growls with the last set of contractions. He didn’t realize his eyes shifted to look more Galra, crying as the push was piercing through his veins. 

“One more push, my love,” Shiro said. “Just one more.”

Keith was anticipating a surge of the worst pain he had felt to date. But the next contraction didn’t feel any different from before. It was almost numbing as he made the push.

It surprised him when he heard high-shrieking cries coming out from the other side. 

“You made it,” Shiro repeated, but those words weren’t directed to Keith. They were for the pup squirming in Shiro’s hands. He held them up again for Keith to see, their tail dripping wet with the rest of their body. “A boy.”

A smile touched Keith’s face. He never would have guessed that he’d have both a girl and a boy coming out of him today.

Shiro hushed the little one, cleaning him up the same way he did his sister before handing him over for Keith to hold.

“Hello, dearest,” Keith cooed. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice you before, but I’m not gonna make that same mistake again.”

He noticed the markings on his cheeks resembling that of Krolia’s and, like his sister, couldn’t discern if his boy’s skin would be the violet color shared by Shiro and Krolia. His son’s crying was interrupted as he let out a tiny sneeze. Keith laughed, rocking his boy.

“Shiro, they’re both so beautiful,” Keith said softly. He noticed his son still had some gunk on him and before he could try to clean it off himself, his daughter wailed in the crib.

He didn’t need to ask Shiro as he was already on his way to retrieve their little girl, trading babies so Keith could hold their daughter while Shiro removed the rest of the gunk off their son.

As Keith tried to pat his daughter’s back, he noticed how heavy his chest was feeling. He had been so focused on the pain in his lower area and back that he forgot big his chest felt. He placed his daughter on top of his chest in an attempt to nurture her with skin-on-skin contact. Her crying toned down as she rubbed her face along his breast and he swore he could hear her sniffing. Keith was only distracted for a moment to reach for his phone to check the time when he felt something her cheek hitting against him.

“Huh?” Keith looked down to see his daughter searching for something. Her mouth was open and she kept rubbing her head along his breast until she found what she was looking for. Her eyes remained closed as she started suckling on his nipple, resting a hand on his breast. He could feel something coming out of it as she kept sucking. “I...had milk?”

“Why is that a surprise?” Shiro said as he finished wiping off their son and put him in a diaper. “Do humans not produce milk?”

“They do, but my mom told me she used a formula to feed me so I guess I never thought I’d have it…”

It was a curious sight to behold, but if one pup was hungry, then that must have meant the same for the other.

“Shiro, can you hand me our boy?”

Shiro nodded, helping Keith arrange the pups in his arms so that he could hold both. Shiro grabbed some pillows and stacked them around Keith’s lap so that the twins could be laid properly while also making sure Keith was seated in a comfortable position.

Their son was shivering in Keith’s hold, but did the same search as his sister. Keith was able to help this time around as he guided his son’s mouth to his nipple. Keith let out a small yelp as the boy latched onto his other breast. Their son had a stronger grip when his mouth attached itself to his nipple, suckling at a much faster pace compared to his sister.

“You must have been starving,” Keith commented, being on the lookout to make sure his son wouldn’t forget to breathe as he fed. He thought about how his increased chest size should have been another indicator that he would be giving birth to twins. Then again, he didn’t think he carried milk inside him to begin with. He wished he had been more attentive of his body and asked the right questions.

But his children were here, next to each other and close to him, which was all that mattered to him. There was still time to ask any unanswered questions that were to be had.

When Shiro finished cleaning the area, he adjusted the size of the nest slightly so that it could accommodate a family of four. It didn’t take him long as an extra baby didn’t take up a lot of space and he knelt next to Keith.

“Are you hungry?” Shiro asked, looking down at the twins who continued their feeding.

“I won’t say I’m not,” Keith answered honestly. “But I think I need all of you more than food.”

Shiro scooted over, wrapping an arm around Keith.

“You did it, Keith.”

“We did it,” Keith clarified. “I couldn’t have had such a successful delivery without you.”

The two shared a kiss, Shiro putting his arms over Keith’s. They would tell their friends and family the delivery was a success and provide pictures of the twins, but that would have to wait. All of them were tired and needed to be next to one another for now, not paying the world or the universe any mind until they were in better shape.

The pups pushed their heads off of Keith’s nipples, choosing instead to snuggle his breasts and letting out their own coos. Their dads adjusted their heads so that their nostrils were free to breathe. The twins squirmed on the stack of pillows, Keith getting up slightly so that they wouldn’t be lying down like that anymore. 

Keith’s belly wasn’t as round and swollen as it was before, having become soft and worn. Shiro moved his hands over Keith’s stomach, his fingers sinking into the skin

“Shiro?” Keith looked at him in confusion.

“Does this feel good?” Shiro began rubbing his mate’s stomach, circling the exposed skin here and there.

Keith breathed in and realized that yes, it did feel good and he told Shiro as much. He let his mate massage his stomach to his heart’s content, enjoying the new family bond that came from having his family so close to him. 

Keith thought back to when he first found out he was pregnant. How Shiro lifted him off his feet and spun him around. They had everything ready for one baby, thinking they wouldn’t have had their second child until enough time had passed from having their first. But it turned out that there were two pups growing inside of him. What should have been obvious was something no one expected, not even when Keith had his ultrasounds done. That didn’t change the love he had for them. It meant there was twice as much love to give and he couldn’t have felt more blessed.

Keith didn’t realize how much he needed that massage to his stomach until Shiro was finished and kissing his stretch marks. After that, Shiro unfolded a blanket next to him and used it to cover Keith. Keith smiled, lifting part of the blanket up so Shiro could join him. Shiro moved over, still trying to have the blanket cover most of Keith and their pups, but cozying up to his family under the cover. An orange glow covered the room as it beamed out of the cloth covered windows. It may have been the ending of a day, but it was the beginning of new lives.

“The hard part is over,” Shiro spoke softly. “Rest now, Keith. You can trust me to keep an eye on you and our pups and tend to your needs and more.”

“I’ll always trust you, Shiro,” Keith said, looking down at his pups again. His daughter’s ears twitched and his son’s tail swung slightly. Shiro couldn’t resist squeezing the end of his son’s tail as Keith kissed both of their heads. Shiro placed the blanket higher so his pups wouldn’t feel cold and whispered to the pups and to Keith how much he loved all of them and promised he would never let anything happen to any of them. Keith made that same promise in his mind, too exhausted to say it aloud, but he planned to the minute he was more awake. 

These pups he held would rely on Keith and Shiro from now on. They were the only ones who were more vulnerable than Keith that day. He had to be strong and nurture them and do his part to maintain the peace that existed in the universe. They would never grow up having to fight for their lives, living in fear, or all by themselves. They’d know all parts of their lineage and have endless opportunities to make friends. 

Neither Keith nor Shiro could have thought of a better place to be with their newborn pups than in the middle of the desert inside the cottage they called home.


End file.
